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Tawanda Mangoma
Government has allocated Chiredzi Town Council 750 hectares earmarked for town expansion at Buffalo Range Farm along the Ngundu-Tanganda Road.

The development comes as council has been sitting on a backlog of over 20 000 people on its residential stands waiting list since 2014.

Addressing villagers from Ward 29 who are set to be affected by the town expansion on Friday last week, Chiredzi district administrator Mr Ndeya Nyede said they should be prepared to leave the area as council will commence development next month.

He said all the occupants of the area were aware of the long-term developmental plans.

“We are here to notify you that Government has finally allocated 750ha of the land which you are currently occupying to Chiredzi Town Council and Chiredzi Rural District Council for residential stands development,” said Mr Nyede.

“As you are aware, we have been telling you that this area was not for you to construct permanent structures because it’s peri-urban land where our town would expand towards.”

Mr Nyede said of the allocated hectares, 100 will be for youths, while 70 will be for women. “The remainder will then be administered by our town councils,” he said.

Buffalo Range Farm chairman Mr Daniel Zimoyo said the villagers were not opposed to Government developmental programmes, but requested to be allocated alternative plots since they relied on agriculture.

“We welcome your developmental proposal DA, but as you know we have been on this land since 2000,” he said.

“Inasmuch as you might afford us first priority when you allocate residential stands, we might end up failing to develop.

“It would be noble if you identify another piece of land and allocate us, since we rely on farming.”

Mr Nyede said farmers would be given time to harvest, but the team servicing the stands would already be on the ground.

“This must be your final harvest,” he said. “A team from the province will be working on this area so as to make boundaries while handling other planning issues.

“I urge you to put your requests to Government in writing, so that we will approach relevant authorities.”

Chiredzi Town Council recently applied for the land from Government.